Standards Council of Canada

Chapter 1 - Standardization and the consumer product safety landscape

Transcript

​Consumer Product Safety in Canada

A guide to standards and conformity assessment options for manufacturers, importers and sellers

Chapter 1: Standardization and the consumer product safety landscape

What is consumer product safety? Consumer product safety refers to efforts made to ensure that products, when selected and used appropriately, will not cause a danger to human health or safety. Danger may include property damage, potential injury, or loss of life. Whether it’s a television, baby stroller or children’s sleepwear – product safety considerations can be applied to most components, including accessories and packaging.

Consumer product safety affects all Canadians every day.

Confidence in the product or its components is dependent on a shared & continual commitment to quality and safety by all parties involved in the product supply chain, whether they are based in Canada or not. Canadian manufacturers, importers, sellers, and the Canadian government all have roles to play in safeguarding public health and safety, as do consumers.

As a manufacturer, importer or seller of consumer products, you are expected to ensure that you do not manufacture, import or sell products that:

Do not meet Canadian regulatory requirements, or

Pose a danger to the health or safety of Canadians.

Through all stages and channels from design to delivery - products must comply with applicable federal and provincial/territorial regulations. This applies regardless of whether the product itself or its components originate in Canada.

The Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) does not allow the manufacture, advertisement, sale or import of consumer products that pose a danger to human health or safety, that are prohibited under the Act, or that do not comply with product-specific regulations that set out various safety and performance-based standards, test methods and labeling requirements. In addition, the CCPSA provides the authority for the Government to issue an order for a company to take certain actions, such as a consumer product recall.

In order to protect Canadian consumers, the government has made a commitment to incorporate standardization (that is, standards and their application) into consumer product legislation. Through the use of voluntary consensus-based standards and rigorous conformity assessment programs, the safety of products manufactured and sold in Canada can be achieved without imposing specific regulatory requirements on industry.

Standardization offers a uniform way of determining a product’s safety. Products that have no credible way to show that they conform to certain specifications or have been made, imported or sold according to proven methods, could put the health and well-being of Canadians who use them at risk.

Among the many ways that you can demonstrate that your business has taken all necessary steps to make your products as safe as possible, are:

1 - Following a verified, established process methodology for manufacturing, importing or distributing commercial goods to the general public. This will help your product accurately comply with the provisions of the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act.

2 - Applying a framework of voluntary standards that outlines requirements for safety and compatibility of consumer products. This will:

prevent Canadians from being exposed to unsafe goods or counterfeit products that may result in any number of dangerous scenarios; and

smooth channels for conducting business in today's global market.

3 - Testing and certification of your product through and SCC-accredited body enables you to demonstrate that your product adheres to product safety regulations or standards, and has been credibly certified.